Dir, Accounting

Adobe•San Jose, CA

5d•$142,100 - $276,500•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Revenue Accounting is a senior leadership role with focused ownership of royalty expense and revenue accounting, reporting and the accounting for complex strategic deals and partnerships. Reporting to the Head of Revenue Assurance & Accounting, this individual serves as both a technical accounting expert and a hands-on operational leader—equally comfortable presenting deal structure analysis to senior stakeholders and working side by side with their team to resolve nuanced accounting issues.The ideal candidate is an active CPA with expertise in ASC 606 and royalty accounting, a strong commercial instinct for evaluating strategic transactions, and a proven track record managing and developing large accounting teams of 20 or more professionals. This leader brings a combination of the rigor of a technical accountant, the mindset of a business partner, and the drive to get things done.

Requirements

Active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license required
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field; Master's degree a plus
18+ years of progressive accounting experience, with a minimum of 5 years in a senior leadership role
Demonstrated experience directly managing teams of 20 or more accounting professionals, including managers and individual contributors
Hands-on expertise in royalty accounting—both expense and revenue—within a complex, high-volume environment (media, technology, publishing, entertainment, or software strongly preferred)
Proven experience accounting for complex, non-standard strategic transactions; ability to independently research technical accounting issues and author well-supported position papers
Strong business acumen—ability to understand commercial deal economics, identify accounting risk, and communicate complex accounting conclusions clearly to non-finance audiences
Technology proficiency: experience with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Workday) and royalty management platforms; comfort with data tools and automation (Excel, SQL, BI platforms) highly valued
Willingness and demonstrated ability to be hands-on—this leader must be comfortable rolling up their sleeves, working directly on complex issues, and operating in detail alongside their team
Strategic thinker who can proactively identify accounting implications of business decisions before they become issues
Outstanding communication skills, with experience engaging external auditors, legal counsel, and senior business leadership

Nice To Haves

Master's degree a plus

Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing accounting team of 20+ professionals spanning royalty expense, royalty revenue, revenue reporting and strategic deal accounting functions
Set clear performance expectations; foster a culture of accountability, intellectual curiosity, and continuous improvement through regular coaching and structured performance reviews
Recruit and retain top accounting talent; proactively build team capabilities to support business growth, new deal structures, and evolving accounting standards
Champion cross-functional collaboration with Revenue Assurance, Legal, Business Development, FP&A, Tax, and IT to ensure accounting considerations are integrated into deal-making and operational planning
Oversee the end-to-end accounting for royalty expense obligations, including accruals, payments, and reconciliation of royalty payable balances across content, licensing, and partner agreements
Ensure accurate and timely recording of royalty costs in accordance with U.S. GAAP; establish and maintain policies for consistent treatment across agreement types
Partner with Legal and Business Development to review new and amended royalty agreements, assess accounting implications, and determine appropriate expense and revenue recognition methodology
Manage royalty audit processes—both inbound (from rights holders) and outbound (of licensees)— and oversee resolution of royalty disputes and adjustments
Drive process improvements and system enhancements to increase the efficiency, accuracy, and scalability of royalty expense operations
Own the accounting for royalty revenue streams, including recognition, reporting, and reconciliation of amounts earned under licensing, and distribution arrangements
Apply deep knowledge of ASC 606 to evaluate and document the proper recognition of royalty revenue, including assessment of performance obligations, usage-based licensing, variable consideration, and contract modifications
Coordinate with Revenue Assurance, Sales Operations, and Technology teams to ensure complete and accurate capture of royalty revenue data from source systems through the general ledger
Prepare and review royalty revenue schedules and disclosures for internal management reporting and external financial statement purposes
Monitor the royalty revenue portfolio for changes in contractual terms, deal structures, or business practices that may affect accounting treatment; proactively communicate impacts to leadership
Serve as the primary accounting lead for complex, non-standard, and high-value strategic transactions
Engage early in the deal structuring process to advise Business, Procurement and Legal Teams on the accounting implications of proposed contract terms, ensuring deals are structured to achieve intended financial outcomes
Draft and own technical accounting position papers and memoranda documenting the company's accounting conclusions for complex transactions under U.S. GAAP
Coordinate with external auditors on complex deal accounting positions; manage timely resolution of audit inquiries related to strategic transactions
Maintain a deal review framework that ensures consistent, well-documented, and auditable accounting treatment for non-routine arrangements
Maintain deep current knowledge of U.S. GAAP, with particular expertise in ASC 606 (revenue recognition)
Support the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process for all areas within scope; ensure journal entries, reconciliations, and supporting schedules meet quality and timeliness standards
Design and maintain a strong internal control environment over royalty and deal accounting
Evaluate and champion technology solutions—including royalty management platforms, ERP enhancements, and automation tools—that improve the acc racy, speed, and scalability of the team's work
Leverage data analytics to provide meaningful insights into royalty trends, deal performance, and financial exposures; present findings clearly to senior leadership